I know everyone has been waiting for this one. The famed starter, the renowned classic, the one and only: Charmander! 

This evolutionary line is so popular that hardly a generation of Pokémon can go by, whether in the anime or the games, without one of these guys making an appearance. And for a good reason, too! Charmander is a wonderful companion and a great addition to anyone's Pokémon team.

Type Factor: 

As famous as the Charmander line is, that doesn't mean that it is free of downsides. One of the most notable downsides, to me, is the type match up that Charmander ends up with once it evolves into Charizard. 

Although the fire and flying combination eliminates the weakness to ground type moves, it doesn't do Charizard a lot of other favors! By adding the flying type to Charizard, it presents a new weakness that the evolutionary line didn't have to deal with beforehand: electric. Even worse, the type match up doesn't even eliminate any other of Charizard's weaknesses! It loses one and then adds one, so really, it doesn't gain much. Defensively, it's not a good match. 

It's the same story offensively, too. Although adding the flying type gives Charizard a new advantage over fighting types, Charizard can only learn one flying move naturally! That's right. ONE. Even including HMs or TMs, Charizard's flying moves come in at a depressing and measly four. In all, my opinion is that this type combination doesn't help Charizard much at all.

Design Factor: 

This is where the Charmander line gets a lot of credit, I think. Charmander is adorable, Charmeleon is cool, and Charizard is an absolute beast. Each design has something new to love. It's unique and pulls you right in. Personally, I have no complaints about the design. It's awesome! Who doesn't like a good dragon?

Lore Factor: 

The Charmander line's Pokédex entries are packed with good stuff! I'm sure nearly everyone remembers the fateful episode in which Ash met his very own Charmander. In the episode, Ash's Charmander had been cruelly abandoned and nearly passed away due to the fire on its tail dwindling. This is alluding to the lore in the Pokédex, which states that Charmander's fire shows how strong its life force is! If the fire goes out, that means Charmander is no longer alive. Such a tragic tale! 

...Get it? Okay, okay, that pun was in bad taste. No need to flame me for it! 

As for Charmeleon, the Pokédex states that it is a bit of a hothead, and will fight anyone it can. But this brash brutality seems to change when Charmeleon evolves into Charizard. While Charmeleon would attack any opponent it could find, Charizard is known to never turn its fires on a weaker opponent. The sudden change makes me wonder where such a noble attitude came from... is it possible that based on the experiences of weakness Charizard may have faced when it was still a tiny, helpless Charmander, that Charizard has reflected and had a change of heart? Whatever the reason, this evolutionary line is full of interesting information!

Stat Factor:

As a fully evolved Charizard, the stats that come with it are nothing to scoff at. I already said there was a reason that Charizard was so popular, didn't I? Well, here's a pretty significant reason: Charizard's highest stats are both its attack and special attack. This Pokémon is not one you want to mess with! Its lowest stat is generally its HP, but that's something that can be shored up with some healing items here and there. 

In all, this Pokémon is one tough cookie! How does that phrase go? The best defense is a good offense?

Evolutionary Factor: 

In my opinion, another reason this evolutionary line stands out so much is because they vary from one to the other while still maintaining their original look. It's obvious that Charmander, Charmeleon, and Charizard are from the same line, even without the similar names, because they share such close looks. Yet, at the same time, the changes from one stage to the other are noticeable enough to draw my eye. 

Charmander is round, cute, and squishy looking, while Charmeleon is sharp and brutal. And then Charizard grows wings for crying out loud! Basically, this Pokémon is a perfect blend of sameness and change all wrapped into one.

Conclusion: 

To sum it all up, Charmeleon's line doesn't get its fame for no reason. This classic starter brings a lot to the table in terms of design, Pokédex lore, and stats. Even if the type match up isn't the best, the evolutionary line is intriguing enough to pass a blind eye over such faults. Even if you think this guy is overrated, you can't deny that the Charizard fans picked a good favorite! 

To my fellow researchers: 

The Charmander line is popular for many of the reasons I listed above, but I'm sure I missed some. If you have any insight on what makes this evolutionary line so great, please share your thoughts in the comments! Your knowledge could very well help another trainer out! 

On the other hand, if there are some weaknesses that I didn't mention in this chapter, please feel free to point those out, too. Pokémon trainers should be given all the important information before making a decision of what Pokémon will go on their team, after all. 

So please, feel free to share! Your insight is invaluable to me and to others!